Toy pistol



G. l. GRIFFITH TOY PISTOL Sept. 22, 1953 Filed May 28, 1949 Y @ieui'Zr:

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE TOY PISTOL Glen I.Griifith, ventura, Calif.; DeanArGrifl'ith, administrator of saidGlen 1. Griflith, deceased, assignor "to Pong Repeater Pistol Company,Ventura County, Calif., a partnership consisting of Dean A.-Griifith,Antonio A. Feraud, and Hester L. Ellis, all of Ventura County, Calif.

Application May 28, 1949, Serial No. 95,925

2 Claims. 1 This invention relates to the toy art, and more particularlyto a toy pistol adapted to shoot spherical objects, such as ping-pongballs, or

other light-weight harmless missiles.

One object of the invention is to provide a toy pistol which is of alight-weight hollow construction, and one which is composed of a minimumnumber of components adapted for economical mass production and quickassembly.

Another object is to provide a pistol of the type specified whichincludes a magazine for containing a supply or charge of the sphericalmissiles, a muzzle, and an inclined passage communicating between themagazine and muzzle through which the missiles can be successivelyadvanced into the muzzle for ejection. A further object in this respectis to provide yieldable retaining means adjacent a rearward opening ormouth of the magazine through which the missiles are loaded, said meansserving to retain the missiles within the magazine to preventinadvertent displacement thereof.

Another important object is to provide yieldable holding meansassociated with the muzzle and operative to releasably hold each missileadvanced into position to be propelled from the pistol, this meansconsisting simply in a U-shaped wire spring partly surrounding themuzzle wall and provided with looped ends passing through openings inthe wall and disposed within the muzzle.

Another object is to provide, in a pistol of the character referred to,a simple yet highly efficient missile-propelling means, this meansconsisting of a spring-actuated plunger, the pistol also including atrigger-latch operative to retain the plunger in inoperative r cockedposition and adapted, when pivoted manually, to re-'- lease said plungerto permit actuation thereof to missile-propelling position, the plungerbeing provided with shock-absorbing means.

Another object is to provide a pistol of the type indicated in which theforward muzzle portion thereof is provided with circumferentiallyspaced,longitudinal ribs on its interior, a missile being projected from thepistol sliding along these ribs and thus being guided thereby. By thismeans only portions of the spherical surface of a missile are lightlyengaged during the firing of the same so that resistance to the forwardmotion of the missile is maintained at a minimum.

A further object is to provide a pistol of the type indicated which iscapable of propelling missiles, even light-weight ones, such as pingpongballs, through a considerable distance and in a straight path, and onewhich is of futuristic design to add to the appearance and enjoyment ofusing the toy.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecification which describes a preferred embodiment of the toy pistol,by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my toy pistol with the operatingelements thereof in inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof with themissile-propelling plunger thereof shown in cocked position;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the muzzle end of the pistol; and,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my toy pistol comprises a casing 5which is composed of two complementary casing sections 6 and 7. Exceptfor being, respectively, right and left-hand, the sections 5 and l areof similar construction, each having a central body or breech portion t,a handie or grip portion 9, and a forward muzzle portion it. The breechand handle portions 8 and 9 are made concave so that when they areplaced together with their open sides in juxtaposition these portionsare made hollow. In a like manher, the muzzle portions are madesubstantially semi-cylindrical and. together provide a substantiallycylindrical muzzle It. The two sections 6 and l are provided withfin-like flanges l2, which are herein shown as riveted together althoughthey may be welded or otherwise joined. The sections 5 and i also haveflanges at their upper ends which together provide forward and rear-Ward sights l3 and id, these flanges also being riveted together.

The upper portions of the casing sections 6 and l are formed withlongitudinally extending channels which together provide a substantiallycylindrical magazine it, which is adapted to receive 1 a plurality ofmissiles M which are inserted thereinto through a curved open end it ofthe casing. The casing sections (2 and i also have inclined channel-likeportions which, when the sections a into the muzzle Hi. The missiles Mmay roll into the muzzle by gravity, or the pistol may be shaken topropel them to this position. It is desirable that the missiles loadedinto the magazine be retained therein so as to prevent loss thereof whenthe pistol is held with its muzzle uppermost. For this purpose, Iprovide a yieldable retainer element 2|! which consists merely in aU-shaped piece of spring wire, which is contracted around the rearwardend of the wall of the magazine due to its inherent resiliency. The endsof the spring element 25 are bent into loops 2| which pass throughnarrow openings 22 in the magazine wall to a slight extent. These loopsare adapted to be forced radially outward by a missile M pressed intothe magazine and to spring inwardly when the missile passes inwardlybeyond the loops, so as to retain the missile within the magazine. Thisretaining means is simple in construction and highly efficient inpreventing accidental displacement of the missiles loaded into themagazine.

It has been stated that the muzzle H3 is substantially cylindrical.However, it is slightly irregular in cross-section, as shown best inFig. 3, the sections 5 and 'i being indented to provide inwardlydirected, longitudinally extending, obtusely pointed ribs 25. The ribs24 define a circle which is only slightly greater in diameter than thatof a missile M to adapt the latter to be propelled through the muzzleHi.

Missiles M entering the rearward end of the muzzle l0 from the inclinedpassage 58 are releasably held in this position by means of a holderelement 25. The element consists of a U-shaped wire which partlysurrounds the muzzle H! and grips the latter. The element 25 is formedwith loops 28 at its ends which project into the interior of the muzzlethrough narrow openings 2'! in the wall of the muzzle, see Figs. 1 and3. The distance between the loops 26 is slightly less than the diameterof a spherical missile M so that when a missile enters the rearward endof the muzzle it engages between the loops to spread the latterslightly, the holding element thus acting to lightly grip the missile toyieldingly hold the same in the muzzle. However, when the missile M ispropelled forwardly the holder member 25 yields to permit ejection ofthe missile from the pistol.

The missiles M are adapted to be rapidly propelled from the muzzle H! bymeans of a tubular plunger 3a The walls of the casing sections 6 and lare slit adjacent the rearward end of the muzzle and the metal bentinwardly to provide ears 3| which have curved inner surfaces (Fig. 4)together providing a bearing in which the forward end of the plunger 30is slidable. The rearward end of the casing 5 is provided with slots 32in which is held an annular washer 33 which serves as a bearing for therearward end of the plunger. The forward end of the plunger is rolled orflared to provide an annular flange 34 adapted to engage the missile 1V1disposed in the muzzle. The plunger 3E normally is urged forwardly todispose its forward end 34 within the muzzle it by means of acompression spring 35 coiled around the plunger with one end engagingagainst lugs 3% thereof and its other end bearing against the washer 33.The plunger carries a rubber handle or knob 31 on its rearward end whichprojects from the casing 5, the knob facilitating drawing the plungerrearwardly to the cocked position illustrated in Fig. 2.

Pivoted on a transverse pin 39 is a trigger-latch 40 having a pawl tooth4| at its forward end and a finger-piece 42 at its rearward end whichprojects outwardly through an opening 43 of the easing. Thetrigger-latch 40 is normally pivoted in a direction to maintain itstooth 4| elevated by means of a spring 44 connected between the latchand. an ear 45 within the casing 5.

To operate the pistol, the magazine I5 is first loaded with thespherical missiles M by inserting the same through the open rearward endof the magazine. By holding the pistol inverted, with its muzzle enddown, the missiles M roll toward the muzzle [0, the first insertedmissile rolling down the inclined passage I8 and resting upon theforward end 34 of the plunger 30, which is urged forwardly by the spring35 with the rubber knob 31 engagingagainst the washer 33.

To shoot a missile M from the pistol, the plunger 30 is drawn rearwardlyby means of the knob 31 until the striker flange 34 engages against thebearing ears 3|. At this juncture, the pawl tooth 4| of thetrigger-latch 40 snaps upwardly so that when the knob 31 is released thetrigger-latch engages the flange 34 to retain the plunger 30 in cockedposition. As the plunger is drawn rearwardly, the leading missile Mrolls down through the inclined passage I8 and into the rearward end ofthe muzzle 10, as shown in Fig. 2, where it is held by the holderelement 25.

The pistol is held in the hand by the handle grip 9 and aimed toward atarget, after which the trigger 42 is pulled rearwardly to release thelatch pawl 4| from the striker flange 34. Upon release of the plunger 30it is propelled forwardly by the spring 35, whereupon its flanged end 34strikes the missile M, driving the latter from the muzzle ill at a fastrate of speed, the holder element 25 yielding to permit such propellingof the missile. During the rapid ejection of the missile M, the lattermoves along the ribs 24 to be guided thereby. The ribs serve as straightrifling to maintain the missile in a straight path so that it is shotaccurately toward the target. Due to the impact force of the plunger 30,the lightweight missile is shot through a considerable distance. Torepeat the operation, the plunger is again drawn rearwardly to cockedposition, after which the next succeeding missile M rolls down thepassage l8 into the muzzle ii! in position to be shot when the plungeris subsequently released. I Thus the pistol can be repeatedly fired aslong as a supply of the missiles remains therein.

It will be observed that the present toy pistol is highly efficient inshooting harmless spherical missiles, such as ping-pong balls, and thatthe balls can be shot accurately through a considerable distance, eventhough they are extremely light in weight. The pistol embodies amagazine for containing a plurality of the balls and, due to thepeculiar arrangement of the inclined passage, the balls are capable ofrolling automatically from the magazine into firing position. As afeature of the invention, yieldable detents or retainers are providedfor retaining the supply of balls in the magazine and for holding thelead ing ball in position to be ejected from the muzzle of the pistol.The pistol is especially simple in construction, being composed of aminimum number of parts adapted for economical mass production and easyassembly, so that the pistol can be manufactured and sold at a lowprice. Besides, the principle of shooting ping-pong balls is especiallyenjoyable and fascinating to children, and the futuristic design of thepistol is particularly appealing.

While the toy pistol has been herein disclosed as embodied in apreferred form of construction, by Way of example, it will be apparentthat various modifications might be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A toy pistol adapted to shoot spherical missiles, comprising: ahollow casing having a hand grip at one end and walls defining a muzzle,a magazine having an open rearward end, and an inclined passagecommunicating between said muzzle and said magazine, said magazine beingadapted to receive a supply of spherical missiles through its open end,said missiles being adapted to roll successively from said magazinethrough said passage into said muzzle; a U-shaped wirespring elementpartly surrounding said magazine with its ends extending inwardlythrough openings in the wall of the magazine and normally partlyobstructing said open end so as to retain the supply of missiles withinsaid magazine, said spring element being adapted to expand transverselyof the magazine to allow loading of the missiles into said magazine;yieldable holding means engageable with a missile in said muzzle toreleasably retain the same therein; a spring-actuated plunger slidablein said casing and having an enlarged forward end, said plunger beingadapted, when actuated, to move rapidly to a position wherein itsforward end is disposed in said inclined passage so as to strike therearward side of said missile disposed in said muzzle so as to propelthe missile from said muzzle, said plunger being withdrawable to acooked position, and a trigger-latch movable on said casing and providedwith a pawl shoulder at its forward end adapted to engage said enlargedforward end of said plunger to releasably retain the same in cockedposition, said trigger-latch being manually movable to release saidplunger for actuation, and having an inclined cam edge at its forwardend engageable by said enlarged end of said plunger to cam saidtrigger-latch under the same during cocking of the plunger.

2. A toy pistol adapted to shoot spherical missiles, comprising: ahollow casing having a hand grip at one end and walls defining a muzzle,a magazine having a substantially horizontal opening at the extremerearward end of the oasing, and an inclined passage communicatingbetween said muzzle and said magazine, said magazine being adapted toreceive a supply 01 spherical missiles through its open end, saidmissiles being adapted to roll successively from said magazine throughsaid passage into said muzzle; yieldable retaining means partlyencircling said magazine and having inwardly projecting ends extendingpartly across said open end for retaining the supply of missiles withinsaid magazine; yieldable holding means surrounding the casing andengageable with a missile in said muzzle to releasably retain the sametherein; a spring-actuated plunger slidable in said casing and adapted,when actuated, to move to a position wherein its forward end is disposedin said inclined passage, rearwardly of said muzzle so as to strike saidmissile disposed in said muzzle so as to propel the missile from saidmuzzle, said plunger being withdrawable to a cocked position; and atrigger-latch movable on said casing and having a forward pawl shoulderat its forward end adapted to engage the forward end of said plunger toreleasably retain the same in cocked position, said trigger-latch beingmanually movable to release said plunger for actuation, said casinghaving curved ears projecting inwardly and together defining a bearingin which said plunger is slidable, said plunger having an enlarged,forward striker end, said hearing a stop engageable by said striker endto limit the movement of said plunger to cocked position.

GLEN I. GRIFFITH.

